As I’m sure you’re all aware, this Sunday is Father’s Day. It’s one of those days that elicits two very different and distinct reactions. For those of you whose fathers are still an active and loving part of your life, it’s a time of recognition, celebration and happiness. But for those of you who no longer have your father in your life, whether due to death or estrangement, it can be a time of great sadness.

In a perfect world, we would all have wonderful and loving fathers but, for a variety of reasons, we aren’t all blessed like this. If you have a wonderful father, I hope you let him know it every day, but especially this Sunday.

Today, I want to focus on the positive and celebrate fatherhood in its best light. With that in mind, I’d like to address the true value and hidden treasure that great fathers deliver to their families and children. I’ll use the word father as my guide:

Friend: A father is one of the first friends you have in the world. He shows you what trust, sharing, work and play is all about. Like a good friend, he’s with you in good times and in bad and, as a result, you can count on him being at your side no matter what.

Authority Figure: Fathers traditionally represent the head of the family and chief disciplinarian. In this way, fathers help us learn how to obey, respect and have a healthy fear of authority. I’m reminded of that familiar old warning that mothers still use today to scare misbehaving children: “Wait until your father gets home!”

Teacher: Fathers, directly and indirectly, teach their children about life and what it means to be a man. In traditional families, the father is the first male human a child has to represent the masculine gender. Little girls and boys learn volumes about men through the example set by their fathers.

F.A.T.H.E.R. continued:

Hand Holder: Fathers are much more than family disciplinarians – they should also show love, compassion and empathy. A father’s gentle hand can ease both the physical pain of injury and emotional pain of disappointment; both of which inevitably accompany growing up and learning about the big, scary world we live in.

Encourager: We all, regardless of age, need someone to believe in and encourage us to carry on in the face of adversity. Fathers play a key role in gently pushing us forward when self-doubt is telling us to retreat.

Resource: Fathers are a great source of information children of all ages should take advantage of regularly. The wisdom of a father’s life experience is a valuable asset when guidance, understanding or information is wanted or needed.

Fathers teach us about life in countless ways and, like mothers, protect us with a love and commitment nobody else can compare to.

Personally speaking, being a father to my two children has been the most rewarding and satisfying experience of my life. Even though both of my children have families of their own now and don’t need me in the same way they did when they were young, I’m happy to report that I’m still Dad in their eyes and remain very involved in their lives.

So I hope that all of you, if possible, will take the opportunity to spend time with your father on Sunday. I further hope you’ll let him know how much you love him and just how important he is to you. As a father myself, I can’t tell you enough how nice that is to hear.

And to all of you dads out there reading my message today, let me just say this: Happy Father’s Day to you all!